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Schiavone, Murray survive thrillers in Paris Posted: 31 May 2011 08:15 AM PDT Defending champion Francesca Schiavone pulls back from the brink against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to make it through to the semi-finals. — Reuters pic PARIS, May 31 — Women's holder Francesca Schiavone and men's hopeful Andy Murray clawed their way back from the brink to progress at the French Open with gritty performances on a chilly Tuesday at Roland Garros. Both were two points away from defeat but Schiavone reached the semi-finals with a 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 win over Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and British fourth seed Murray floored Serbian Viktor Troicki 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 to advance to the last eight against Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela. Schiavone struggled to cope with windy conditions on court Philippe Chatrier as Moscow-based Pavlyuchenkova wore long sleeves and hit long balls to unsettle the Italian fifth seed, who next faces Russian former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova or local favourite Marion Bartoli. It worked perfectly for Pavlyuchenkova, who knocked out world No. 3 Vera Zvonareva in the previous round, and she raced into a 6-1, 4-2 lead. But with her back to the wall at 2-4, 0-40 down in the second set, Schiavone bounced back, grunting as her game gradually fell into place and her opponent's started to unravel as she won six games in a row. Pavlyuchenkova broke back for 5-5, only for Schiavone to steal her serve again and end the contest with a backhand winner. "I did not play good, I hope I will play better in the semi-final because this crowd deserve to see good tennis," Schiavone, who put some clay on her face after the match point, told a courtside interviewer. Twisted ankle Murray, who twisted his ankle in the previous round, is not the kind to give up easily despite his seemingly nonchalant attitude, as he showed in a thrilling match against Troicki. The Briton, yet to win a grand slam title, fell 5-0 behind yesterday in just 18 minutes as he looked in pain and on the brink of pulling out before fighting back to level at two sets all. The match resumed today with an unusual incident. A ball boy inexplicably ran on to the court in front of Troicki during a rally as the Serb moved to the net for a smash in the sixth game. Because of "movement during the exchange", umpire Pascal Maria had the point replayed as Troicki boiled over, but the Serb broke for 4-2. He came within two points of victory when he led 5-3, 30-0 on his serve but made a string of unforced errors to let Murray back into the contest. The 24-year-old Scot wasted three match points but a gravity-defying crosscourt backhand passing winner sent him through after almost four hours, with a possible semi-final clash against world No. 1 Rafael Nadal or Swede Robin Soderling looming. World No. 3 Roger Federer will play local favourite Gael Monfils on court Philippe Chatrier later as he looks to set up a last-four meeting with Novak Djokovic after the Serbian world No. 2 was given a walk-over against the injured Fabio Fognini. — Reuters Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Murray battles past Troicki in rolled-over match Posted: 31 May 2011 08:01 AM PDT Relief for Andy Murray after winning his tight five-set match against Viktor Troicki to advance to the quarter-finals. — Reuters pic PARIS, May 31 — Fourth seed Andy Murray battled into the French Open quarter-finals by beating Viktor Troicki 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 today after they returned to court for a one-set shootout. Play was suspended late yesterday due to bad light after Murray, carrying an ankle injury, had fought back superbly to level the match at two sets all. Troicki was angered at the start of the sixth game of the last set when a ball boy inexplicably ran on to the court right in front of the Serb as he was winning the point with a smash. The umpire ordered them to replay the point, which Murray won, leading to more rage from Troicki and boos from a crowd sympathetic to the blushing boy. In the end it did not matter as Troicki went on to break the Briton in the same game but the 15th seed lost his serve twice, sending a backhand into the net on the key point as Murray sealed a last-eight clash with Juan Ignacio Chela. — Reuters Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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‘1911’ is Jackie Chan’s 100th film Posted: 31 May 2011 03:04 AM PDT LOS ANGELES, May 31 – The first trailer has been released for Jackie Chan's 100th film, the historical drama 1911, about the founding of the Republic of China. The film is also titled Xinhai geming, meaning "Xinhai Revolution". In Cantonese, the trailer is an impressionistic teaser offering a glimpse into the battle fought by nationalist forces led by Sun Yat-sen to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. Sun is played by Winston Chao (The Wedding Banquet). Bingbing Li (The Forbidden Kingdom), and Joan Chen (The Last Emperor) also star. Chan, last seen in The Karate Kid, portrays Huang Xin Huang, a military general famous for his martial arts prowess. Chan co-directs the movie with cinematographer Zhang Li (Red Cliff). He was also the stunt coordinator and choreographer. His company Jackie & JJ Productions produced the film. The film started shooting last September. 1911 will be released in China and the US simultaneously on October 11. Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdX3FGdEshA – AFP Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

‘The Whistleblower’ with Rachel Weisz Posted: 31 May 2011 02:03 AM PDT LOS ANGELES, May 31 – The first trailer for the political thriller The Whistleblower, starring Oscar winner Rachel Weisz (The Lovely Bones, upcoming Bourne Legacy), was released May 28. The British actress (picture) portrays Kathryn Bolkovac, an American policewoman who as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia uncovers a sex-trafficking scandal. Based on true events, the film tells the story of her risky investigation and personal danger as she attempts to expose military personnel and diplomats involved. The cast includes Vanessa Redgrave (Letters to Juliet), Monica Bellucci (The Sorcerer's Apprentice), David Strathairn (The Bourne Ultimatum) and Benedict Cumberbatch (Atonement). Canadian Larysa Kondracki, who also co-wrote the screenplay, makes her directorial debut. First screened at the Toronto Film Festival, after more festival showings The Whistleblower debuts in Denmark in June and releases in North America August 5. Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FtW-iCJ4MU – AFP Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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Taking the workout to the back of the body Posted: 31 May 2011 12:38 AM PDT The lunge stretch, from the book "Foundation: Redefine Your Core, Conquer Back Pain, and Move with Confidence" is demonstrated in this undated file photo. — Reuters pic NEW YORK, May 31 — Crunches, curls and sit-ups may be standard workout fare in gyms, basements and living rooms across the land. But the authors of a new book suggest people get plenty of that movement in their daily lives. They say to get a really strong midsection the back of the body needs to be worked. "Sitting at desks, working on computers, waiting in traffic, we are continually contracting our abs, throwing our shoulders forward and, ultimately, shutting down the back of the body, said Dr. Eric Goodman, co-author with Peter Park of "Foundation: Redefine Your Core, Conquer Back Pain, and Move with Confidence." "If we're going to keep our posture and our spines strong, it has to be done by exercising the back of the body as the core of the body," explained Goodman, a chiropractor based in Santa Barbara, California. The exercises illustrated in the book require no machines or equipment and take the spine as the body's center of stability. In the signature, or founder exercise, knees are bent over ankles, the body hinges from the hip joint, and movement originates in the pelvis, hips and hip joints. "You're sticking your butt out on everything," explained Park, a trainer and owner of Platinum Fitness gyms, said. "We're aiming for the posterior chain." Park is cycling great Lance Armstrong's strength and conditioning coach. The seven-time Tour de France winner wrote the forward for the book. "Lance needed it more than anybody," Park said of the workout. "It opened him up. (With his) rounded back, rounded shoulders he almost looked funny off the bike." The exercises are designed to augment, rather than replace, a regular fitness regime, Goodman said. "We don't want people to stop doing yoga or Pilates. If you're currently doing cardio or other training just add foundation to it," Goodman said. "If you're doing it properly, 20 minutes is plenty. It's hard." Neal Pire, spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine, said the concept of "hinging" or loading the posterior chain while maintaining neutral spine is mainstream, but he's never seen a book entirely devoted to it. "Extension is key, because we do indeed live in a flexed state," he said, adding that if the public perception is that abs are the core, the public is mistaken. "The core involves two sets of muscles: deep muscles whose roles are primarily stabilising the spine, or more generally the trunk, and shallower muscles whose primary role is movement," Pire explained. Goodman advocates a four-to-one ratio of back-to-front training. "For every four exercises you do for the back of the body, you get to do one for the front. I think that's the opposite of what most people are doing." Park said too many workouts reinforce sedentary postures. "You see a guy who is sedentary all day go to the gym, do bench presses and ride on a bike. He's reinforcing what he did all day," said Park. "We're trying to bring everyone back to the center, where they should be. I think this is the missing link." — Reuters Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Bathhouse of Sultan’s favourite reopens in Istanbul Posted: 30 May 2011 09:45 PM PDT Feel like a Sultan at the Roxelana Hamam ISTANBUL, May 31 — For decades the 16th century bath house built for the Ottoman Empire's most infamous woman, Roxelana, languished unnoticed between the Blue Mosque and the Haghia Sophia, relegated to life as a carpet showroom. Ottoman bath houses, structures once so important they were designed by the finest architects of the realm, fell out of favour as Turkey modernised and its citizens installed running water and bathrooms in their homes. Yet the architectural pedigree of many of the bath houses, the rising number of foreign tourists, and a resurgent interest among Turks in all things Ottoman, have revived the fortunes of the old stone hamams as developers recognise their huge earning potential. The waiting hall at Roxelana's hamam. — Reuters pic Roxelana's hamam, a long, domed building completed in 1557 by the prolific architect Sinan, is the latest Istanbul bath to be restored to its former grandeur — emerging after years of neglect as an oasis of gleaming marble and inviting alcoves. "Turkey is learning to place more importance on its past," said architect Tevfik Ilter, who led the 17 million lira project. "In the last 15 years we started to restore our buildings. Before that the focus was on constructing things fast. If a structure was broken we'd just try and fix it with concrete." In 2007 Istanbul authorities decided to return the hamam to its original use after a 105-year hiatus and launched a tender for its restoration, won by a tourism development group. The bath will open in June and charge €86 (RM372) for the customary steam bath, peeling and soap massage. The same service in one of the handful of old local hamams still in operation in Istanbul would cost around €15. Visitors to the separate men's and women's sections of the bath enter a soaring domed chamber the size of a small mosque, with tiers of wooden changing rooms circling the walls. After donning a cotton wrap known as a pestemal and slippers they enter the steamy, white marble bath. Once the moisture has penetrated their skin, an attendant scrubs the body to remove the dead skin cells, before dousing the visitor in water. "It is not just about bathing. It is a purification process, a ritual process," Ilter said. The soap massage: more than a bath; it's a purification process, a ritual. — Reuters pic Hamams are a tradition common to most Muslim countries as Islam emphasises cleanliness and washing, particularly before prayer. But besides their original religious function they were also a place for people to relax and mingle. Scheming Roxelana While Istanbul now offers four or five historic luxury hamams to chose from, the figure of Roxelana, long a subject of Western orientalist fantasy could prove a paticular draw. Born into a Ukrainian family as Aleksandra Lisowska some time around 1500 she was captured by raiding Crimean Tartars and sold as a slave in Constantinople, where she was selected for the harem. Through her charm and guile she managed to catch the eye of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, displacing his former favourite and eventually becoming his wife. The bath's reopening coincides with a screening of a television drama based on the life of Roxelana, which has captivated Turkish audiences, but also drew complaints for its sexual content and liberty with the truth. Its glamorous costumes, sumptuous interiors, and the endless conniving and plotting among the women of the harem have fed the resurgent local interest in the Ottoman Empire, from which modern Turkey was formed in 1923. History has not viewed Roxelana kindly, portraying her as a meddlesome schemer. Her son Selim, inherited the empire from his father but proved a disastrous ruler and an alcoholic. Selim is said to have died in 1574 after slipping and banging his head in a hammam while drunk. "We don't know for sure whether Roxelana ever came to her hamam. She died in 1558 and the bath was finished in 1557," said Ilter. "Some people think the Sultan built it for her so bathers would pray for her in her ill health. Either way the location of the hamam, right opposite the Haghia Sophia in a central position shows her power and influence." Old Istanbul is littered with the ruins of old hamams, most of which are beyond saving. But other restorations are already in the works, particularly of structures built by Sinan. "History used to be about war and about being a hero. Now we are learning about the history of architecture, leisure and social life," Ilter said. — Reuters Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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Piaf biography invites new look at French icon Posted: 30 May 2011 09:23 PM PDT Burke's book is among the first to draw on more than 100 letters written by a young Piaf to one of her mentors. — AFP/Relaxnews pic SYDNEY, May 31 — A new book about legendary French singer Edith Piaf reveals much about her life before stardom, including her yearnings for poetry and philosophy as a young girl working to overcome her tough upbringing. Writer Carolyn Burke said her biography "No Regrets — The Life of Edith Piaf" delves deeply into the early life of the "Little Sparrow", and invites a reassessment of one of the most famous singers of the 20th century. "We get the young Piaf that we didn't necessarily know about even if we heard her sing," Australian-born Burke told AFP at the Sydney Writers' Festival this month. Burke's book is among the first to draw on more than 100 letters written by a young Piaf to one of her mentors, the scholarly Jacques Bourgeat, held in the Bibliotheque Nationale de France and only recently released to scrutiny. "Those letters reveal aspects of Edith Piaf that we couldn't have known about," Burke explained. "You see her desire for an education, to better herself. We learn about her emotional and spiritual development even, because she had a strong wish ... to not only study poetry but philosophy." Burke said the letters reveal a tenderness between Piaf and the middle-aged, poetry-writing Bourgeat who instructed the young woman with scant education after a hand-to-mouth existence on what to read and how to improve her French. "So the next thing she's reading Baudelaire, she's reading Rimbaud, she's reading Plato. It's so moving to find out about this," she explained. "I was sitting there reading Edith Piaf's handwriting, seeing her mistakes in spelling and grammar and she says things to him like, 'I'm making progress aren't I? Is this a better letter?' He's trying to help her learn proper French. It's so important to know that." The unlikely pair, who were not lovers, corresponded for the next 25 years and Burke believes the letters provide "the very best source for a deeper look at who she was and how she developed." Piaf began writing lyrics shortly after meeting Bourgeat at a Paris nightclub, and Burke believes it was in part with his help that she acquired enough confidence and experience with the language to become a lyricist. "As a woman who had no education, no background, nothing ... her family wasn't even working class, they were the lowest of the low ... how she managed to do what she did with such generosity to others ... it's fascinating to me." Almost 50 years after her death, aged 47, Piaf remains a formidable cultural influence — inspiring singers as diverse as Martha Wainwright and Lady Gaga — and has a devoted fan following around the world. Burke's research led her to some of these fans, the collectors of Piaf items such as one of her signature black dresses, old recorded versions of her songs and home movies taken by members of her entourage. She understands their passion, having been struck by the beauty of the language and power of Piaf's voice when she first heard her sing on the radio as a student in Paris. The result is a biography which has been criticised as too kind to Piaf — known for her many lovers, her associations with the gangster class, and her reliance on painkillers in later years. Burke said her book was no "whitewash" but it was time for a kinder judgement on the woman who held listeners spellbound with the haunting voice she carried within her diminutive frame. "The problem is people have lots of stereotypes in their minds about who entertainers are and in particular Piaf. People think, 'Oh, we know who that was — poor self-destructive waif'," she said. "And my book goes completely in another direction which shows how creative she was and how much she shaped her own repertoire and legend. So I am offering a different look at her life." Burke draws on Piaf's experiences in World War II, how she helped shelter Jewish friends, assisted in a daring prisoner escape plan and sang songs written by Jewish writers contrary to German orders. At times her life reads as invention — her father was a travelling contortionist, her mother a singer who left her as a toddler and became a drug addict, and her early childhood included time living in her father's family's brothel. Burke said that much written about Piaf is exaggerated or even malicious. "For instance the business with the drugs, those were all prescription drugs that she took to manage her horrible chronic pain," she said. "The pain that resulted from several car accidents. What she took was prescribed by doctors so that she could go on singing." Burke wants to remind the world, and France, that Piaf was an entertainer who displayed enormous creativity, courage and resilience despite her difficulties and personal sorrows. "I mention that she was tyrannical and that she made her entourage do things exactly the way she wanted. They had to eat the same meal every night for a week if that's what she wanted. And they had to get up at 4am if she rang. "But it's true that I wanted to take a different perspective to show her rather admirable traits I think because they have been underplayed. "There may be time for a new look at Piaf in France. And wouldn't that be good if an Australian could do it?" — AFP/Relaxnews Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Kennedy’s ‘Dr. Feelgood’ Posted: 27 May 2011 03:33 AM PDT Kennedy's 'Dr. Feelgood' The book reveals that President John F. Kennedy turned to Max Jacobson, or "Dr. Feelgood", for unconventional treatments during his trip to Europe in June 1961. — www.acus.org pic PARIS, May 27 — Historians haven't done well over the years in answering an awkward question: when do the personal quirks and unusual habits of American presidents have historic consequences? Tabloid reporters salivate over salacious stories such as Monica Lewinsky's affair with President Bill Clinton, but when do these become matters of state? My book "Berlin 1961" steered away from the most sensational accounts and speculations regarding President John F. Kennedy's womanising and health problems. However, I did want to know whether any of these had substantive impact that such a book should record. The time when that seemed most likely was in June 1961 during President Kennedy's trip to Europe to see Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. What concerned me the most were the secret, excessive and perhaps irresponsible ministrations of a physician named Max Jacobson — better known as "Dr. Feelgood" by celebrity patients such as Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote — which were laced with amphetamines. For all the adoring French crowds, grand Gallic meals, and media hype generated by a thousand correspondents covering his first stop in Europe to see French leader Charles de Gaulle in Paris, President Kennedy's favourite moments were spent submerged in a giant, gold-plated bathtub in the "King's Chamber" of a nineteenth-century palace on the Quai d'Orsay. Behind all that the French theatre — and ahead of the President's next stop in Vienna with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev — lay a US president who was entering the most important week of his presidency as a weary and wounded commander in chief. He was inadequately prepared and insufficiently fit for what would face him in Vienna. Khrushchev would be scanning for Kennedy's vulnerabilities after the Bay of Pigs, and there were plenty. At home, Kennedy was facing violent racial confrontations that had broken out in the American South as African Americans grew more determined to end two centuries of oppression. The immediate problem revolved around the "Freedom Riders," whose efforts to desegregate interstate transportation had won only tepid support from President Kennedy — and were opposed by nearly two-third of Americans. Abroad, Kennedy's failure in Cuba, unresolved conflict in Laos, and tensions building around Berlin made his Paris-Vienna trip all the more fraught with risk. It seemed just another of his presidency's early misfortunes that Kennedy had seriously reinjured his back muscles while planting a ceremonial tree in Ottawa, and the pain had grown worse on the long flight to Europe. It had been the first time since his spinal fusion surgery in 1954 that he was hobbling around on crutches — though only in private. Kennedy's personal physician, Janet Travell, who accompanied him in Paris, was concerned about his heightened suffering and the impact his treatments might have on everything from mood to endurance during the trip. Years later, Travell would recall that Paris was the beginning of "a very hard period." She would give Kennedy two to three shots a day of procaine, a potent cousin of Novocain. She was also treating him for chronic adrenal ailments, high fevers, elevated cholesterol levels, sleeplessness, and stomach, colon and prostate problems. Travel kept an ongoing "Medicine Administration Record" to track the cocktail of pills and shots she provided Kennedy. What she couldn't log, however, were the more unconventional administrations of Max Jacobson, or "Dr. Feelgood," who had travelled more secretly to Paris and Vienna. Kennedy had been so pleased with Jacobson's remedies during his campaign that he recommended them as well for his wife Jacqueline after the difficult November delivery of their son John-John – and again to boost her stamina before the Paris trip. It would later be discovered that his injections contained hormones, animal organ cells, steroids, vitamins, enzymes and – most troubling – the amphetamines to combat fatigue and depression. The potential national security consequences of this concoction were considerable coming just before his crucial meeting with Khrushchev. The potential side effects included hyperactivity, hypertension, impaired judgment and nervousness. Between doses, his moods could swing from overconfidence to bouts of depression. History would never record how this medication influenced President Kennedy's performance in Vienna. Though by Kennedy's own later account, he was about to confront two of the worst days of his life – days that he feared might convince Khrushchev of his weakness and prompt him to test US resolve in Berlin in a manner that could lead to war. For more about the book, go to www.fredkempe.com. — Reuters Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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Hata Wahari letak jawatan presiden NUJ Posted: 31 May 2011 02:19 AM PDT KUALA LUMPUR, 31 Mei – Bekas wartawan kanan Utusan Malaysia Hata Wahari melepaskan jawatan presiden Kesatuan Kebangsaan Wartawan (NUJ) Semenanjung Malaysia berkuat kuasa serta-merta. Perkara itu diumumkan oleh Setiausaha Agung NUJ V. Anbalagan dalams satu kenyataan hari ini. Sehubungan itu kata Anbalagan, Majlis Eksekutif telah melantik Naib Presiden NUJ Chin Sung Chew untuk jawatan nombor satu itu. "Majlis Eksekutif mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih kepada Hata atas sumbangan kepada kesatuan," katanya. Hata (gambar) telah dipecat dari Kumpulan Utusan kerana didapati bersalah mengeluarkan kenyataan-kenyataan yang dikatakan mencemari imej syarikat milik Umno itu. Syarikat itu memaklumkan keputusannya dalam satu surat bertarikh 21 April 2011, yang ditandatangani oleh Pengurus Besar Sumber Manusia Mohd Nazlan Osman. Pada 14 April lalu, panel siasatan dalaman Kumpulan Utusan mendapati Hata bersalah atas tuduhan memburuk-burukkan nama syarikat itu melalui laporan yang disiarkan beberapa media tempatan. Hata sebelum ini sering mengutarakan pandangan yang lantang berhubung isu pemilikan akhbar Utusan Malaysia dan Mingguan Malaysia, kejatuhan edaran akhbar dan 'kelemahan' dalam kepengarangan akhbar berkenaan. Dia telah digantung kerja sejak 11 Januari lalu oleh Kumpulan Utusan. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Bonda Sultan Selangor mangkat Posted: 30 May 2011 11:54 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR, 31 Mei — Bonda Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah mangkat di Hospital Pakar Ampang Puteri di sini pagi ini. Setiausaha Sulit Sultan Selangor, Datuk Munir Bani berkata Raja Saidatul Ihsan Tengku Badar Shah, 88, mangkat pada kira-kira pukul 9 pagi. Laporan Bernama Online menyebut, Munir ketika dihubungi berkata jenazah Almarhum akan dibawa ke Istana Alam Shah Klang, sebelum dikebumikan di Makam Diraja Shah Alam selepas solat Asar. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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The Malaysian Insider :: Food

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Straits cuisine in Nyonya Land Posted: 27 May 2011 05:53 PM PDT Nasi Ulam... time consuming to prepare. GEORGE TOWN, May 28 — Late last year I was in Penang and looking for a Nyonya restaurant to take some visitors from Perth. My friend BC promptly piled us into his trusty old Mercedes and drove us to Nyonya Breeze in Abu Siti Lane. There was a "grander"-looking restaurant of the same ilk down the road, but BC dismissed it with a wave of his hand and swept us into Nyonya Breeze. It's an unpretentious restaurant, with black tables and stools, but it's brightly lit, all the better to read the huge board on the wall detailing the origins of the Nyonyas and Babas or Straits-born Chinese. And it all begins with the journey of Admiral Cheng Ho to these parts 600 years ago. It tells about the food, the different nuances in Malacca, Singapore and Penang, the last with Thai overtones. The Roti Babi here is the real thing. I devoured the menu with my eyes, picking out Roti Babi, Kiam Chye Ark, Perut Ikan, Nasi Ulam, Kerabu Bok Nee, Gulai Tumis Stingray, Otak Lobak, Jiu Hu Char and Kari Kapitan. My sister was looking forward to Nasi Ulam, and we found a great one here, like how our Nyonya aunt used to make it. I remember her with her thick round glasses, her near-sightedness no obstacle to shredding all the leaves and herbs finely; her agak-agak measurements were always perfect. It was similarly spot on with flavours and proportions at Nyonya Breeze. The rice was fluffy, each grain evenly coated with the turmeric, finely pounded salted fish, dried prawns, belacan and kerisik, and exuding all the fragrant aromas of the thin shreds of herbs and leaves. It was amazing. Kerabu Bok Nee is a Nyonya classic. The Roti Babi was about soft, luscious bites, dipped into the piquant Worcestershire sauce with cut chilli. It was generously stuffed with spiced minced pork. The bread had been dipped in egg and fried till golden, with crispy edges. We had started with the Kiam Chye Ark, a duck and salted vegetable soup with sour plums that was tart and very peppery. It was the perfect opener to our very extensive dinner. Then came the Kerabu Bok Nee with chicken well tossed in sambal, with the oomph of bunga kantan. I would have liked the chicken to be shredded more finely though. The Kari Kapitan had a sour lift from lime juice, which made the usually rich and aromatic chicken curry even more delightful to eat. I had the best Perut Ikan here. The flavours were sensational from the myriad aromatic herbs and roots, toasted belacan, long beans and eggplant, small bits of pickled fish stomach, sweetness from pineapple and shrimps. It had the right balance of sweet and sour, and hotness from chillies. I could eat this over and over again, so good it was. The Asam Pedas Stingray satisfied all my cravings for this curry that had some pineapple in it, and large pieces of stingray. It was right then to go back to the delicate sweetness of Jiu Hu Char, the braised yam bean with cuttlefish, eaten wrapped in lettuce laced with sambal belacan. Perut Ikan with all the right flavours. The Otak Lobak is about sliced lean pork seasoned with otak otak spices, wrapped in fu chook and deepfried. They made crispy and delicious bites in between the dishes. We had no room for dessert, which was a shame, having spotted on the menu earlier Apong Berkuah (Nyonya pancakes drizzled with palm sugar), and Seh Liu Chi, pomegranate "jelly" bits made with tapioca flour (making this is a forgotten art now), served with jackfruit in coconut milk. Nyonya Breeze deserves many visits to savour all its very authentic and fine Nyonya specialities. Kiam Hu Kut Gulai (salted fish bone curry), Hong Bak, Nyonya Lam Mee, Pig's Trotters in Dark Vinegar and Huan Chu Keok Masak Lemak (sweet potato leaves curry with sweet potato and shrimps) are what I would like to try on my next visit. The food is reasonably priced — for instance, the Nasi Ulam is RM7, Roti Babi RM4.50 per piece, and for large portions of Kari Kapitan it is RM16.80, Asam Pedas Stingray RM24, Kiam Chye Ark RM24, Kerabu Bok Nee RM12. * Nyonya Breeze is located at 50 Abu Siti Lane, George Town, Penang (Tel: 019-443-7104). Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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The Malaysian Insider :: Sports

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Bin Hammam faces ethics case, denies wrongdoing Posted: 25 May 2011 08:55 AM PDT ZURICH, May 25 – Mohamed bin Hammam will face an ethics investigation just days before he is due to challenge Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency after a report from within the organisation's executive committee alleged possible bribery. FIFA said today it had begun ethical proceedings against Bin Hammam, the Qatari head of the Asian Football Confederation, along with CONCACAF president Jack Warner and two other officials. All four have been summoned to appear before FIFA's ethics committee on Sunday, three days before the vote for the most powerful job in world soccer, in response to a report from Chuck Blazer, CONCACAF's general secretary and another executive committee member. FIFA said Blazer's report, which included "bribery allegations", referred to a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) meeting which was attended by Warner and Bin Hammam on May 10/11 and was linked to the election campaign. Bin Hammam strongly denied any wrongdoing and said he was confident he would still be allowed to stand in the June 1 vote, when he is the only challenger to Blatter. "This has been a difficult and painful day for me today," Bin Hammam said in a statement. "But, if there is even the slightest justice in the world, these allegations will vanish in the wind. "This move is little more than a tactic being used by those who have no confidence in their own ability to emerge successfully from the FIFA presidential election. "Here I completely deny any allegations of wrongdoing either intentionally or unknowingly while I was in the Caribbean. "I am confident that there is no charge to answer and that I will be free to stand in the FIFA presidential election on June 1 as originally planned." The meeting referred to by FIFA was organised so Bin Hammam could state his election case to delegates. He had been unable to attend the CONCACAF Congress in Miami on May 3 after being denied a visa for the United States. Bin Hammam has used the campaign to call for reform at FIFA, which has been mired in claims of corruption surrounding last year's vote to choose hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Unlike last year's scandal, in which two executive committee members were banned following investigations by the Sunday Times newspaper, the allegations came from within FIFA for the first time. CONCACAF, the North and Central America and Caribbean Confederation, holds 35 of the 208 votes at the FIFA Congress which will choose between Bin Hamman and incumbent President Blatter. Warner has always been regarded as a staunch Blatter supporter but said his confederation had not yet chosen who it would back this time. FIFA would not comment on whether the election might now be postponed. Spokesmen for Blatter and CONCACAF also said they would not comment. "On May 24, FIFA executive committee member and CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer reported to FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke possible violations of the FIFA code of ethics allegedly committed by officials," FIFA said in a statement. "In view of the facts alleged in this report, which include bribery allegations, Jerome Valcke requested the FIFA Ethics Committee to open ethics proceedings." FIFA added that the ethics committee would be headed by Namibia's Petrus Damaseb as its usual chairman Claudio Sulser shares the same nationality as Swiss Blatter. CFU officials Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester have also been asked to attend the ethics committee hearing. Allegations of corruption and lack of transparency have dogged FIFA since the campaign for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting rights, won by Russia and Qatar respectively. Earlier this month, a British parliamentary inquiry into why England failed to secure the 2018 finals was told by member of parliament Damian Collins there was evidence from the Sunday Times newspaper that Issa Hayatou of Cameroon and Jacques Anouma of the Ivory Coast were paid by Qatar. Qatar have categorically denied the allegations as have Hayatou and Anouma. Blatter, standing for a fourth term in the post he has held since 1998, already has the support of Europe, Africa, South America and Oceania. – Reuters Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Cricket: Strauss urges England to focus on No.1 ranking Posted: 25 May 2011 07:56 AM PDT England's captain Andrew Strauss hits out during a training session before Thursday's first cricket test match against Sri Lanka at Swalec Stadium in Cardiff, Wales May 25, 2011. – Reuters pic CARDIFF, May 25 – England must forget the Ashes success and focus on becoming the best team in the world, their captain Andrew Strauss said today. England face Sri Lanka in the first match of a three-test series starting tomorrow before taking on India, test cricket's number one-ranked team, and Strauss said they should not dwell on the 3-1 victory in Australia. "This is the start of a new cycle in a way," Strauss told reporters. "It's the start of a very busy and difficult summer for us and it is an opportunity for us to make a step forward to becoming number one in the world. "That excites us and I think for us to be thinking too much back to what happened in Sydney at this stage is not helpful. It is the only way we can look at it." Strauss said England should learn from what went well in Australia but recognise that they have new targets. "We achieved quite an important goal for us as a side to win out there in Australia but our goals now have turned towards this summer and beyond," he said. Although Sri Lanka's interim coach Stuart Law has said that England have played the best test cricket over the last 18 months, Strauss said more consistency was needed. "We are some way off (number one) and it might take us a long time to get there and certainly if we drift into the summer and don't hit top gear straight away that could seem like a long way off," Strauss added. "The motivation for us now is to take the next step. I will be very disappointed if any of the players are resting on laurels or anything like that. We need to hit ground running – there is no doubt about that." Sri Lanka said they would await the results of a fitness test on fast bowler Dilhara Fernando before deciding their final team. Suranga Lakmal is on standby. New captain Tillakeratne Dilshan said Sri Lanka were looking forward to playing a first test match outside of Asia in more than three years, rather than fearing the early season conditions. They won their two warm-up matches against Middlesex and England Lions. "It's not easy playing here early summer but as cricketers we have to take on this challenge even though we haven't played outside home (Asia) for a long time," Dilshan told reporters. "The last series (2006) we drew here and we have had good preparations this time. The last two matches we have played well in the bowling and batting departments." Teams: England (probable): Strauss, Cook, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Morgan, Prior, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Tremlett. Sri Lanka (from): Paranavitana, Dilshan, Sangakkara, M. Jayawardene, Samaraweera, P. Jayawardene, Maharoof, Perera, Herath, Fernando, Welegedera, Lakmal. – Reuters Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz

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A Minute With: Kara DioGuardi about her return to TV Posted: 25 May 2011 08:38 AM PDT NEW YORK, May 25 – As a former "American Idol" judge, singer, songwriter and producer, Kara DioGuardi, made her mark offering no-nonsense feedback to contestants hoping for stardom on the popular singing talent contest. Now she returns as a judge on Bravo's new show "Platinum Hit", which debuts on May 30. The series offers a glimpse into the world of emerging singer-songwriters on their journey to become the next big hit maker and offers a US$100,000 cash prize and a record publishing deal. DioGuardi (picture) spoke about the show, songwriting and a famous 2009 bikini stunt on national television. Q: What can viewers expect when tuning into "Platinum Hit?" A: "The show is completely different since it's not about performing. It's about the song. And it's about the people that write that song. This is a show about finding the next great songwriting talent and looking into the process of songwriting, which I think is going to be very interesting." Q: When you were on 'American Idol' there was a lot of chatter about you. Were you surprised at the fan's reaction to you joining the show? A: "Not really, because I think they didn't quite understand my role. Some thought I was there to take over Paula's role and they didn't understand that I was in the music business. When I first got the job, I said, 'Why do you need a fourth judge?' It was completely puzzling to me. I can only imagine what it was like for the American people." Q: Do you prefer collaborating with other songwriters or writing solo? A: "I really don't have a preference. I kind of love it all. I get something different from each session I walk into. Sometimes it's great to work with an artist that has a very specific vision. I really enjoyed working with Pink, when I co-wrote 'Sober.' She has a real idea about what she wants to say and how she wants to say it and I find that very refreshing." Q: How do you strike the right balance of offering feedback to contestants without crushing their dreams? A: "People have to get used the idea that there is a lot of rejection in the music business no matter how successful you are ... If that's what crushes your dream, then you should get out of the music business, because if you can't stand the rejection, this industry will crush you. What it's really about is how to take the feedback and learn from it and become better." Q: How would you characterize yourself as a judge? A: "I'm pretty tough on this show, but I'm always constructive. You may not see it always because it doesn't get into the edit. But if I am giving a critique to a contestant, I'm telling them how they can do it better, so they can learn from it." Q: What advice do you have for those just starting out? A: "It's a muscle, songwriting. You got to do it a lot. You have to constantly be working it out and always come from a place of truth." Q: If you were not a singer/songwriter, what do you think you would be doing? A: "I would be a lawyer, or run a Bed and Breakfast. I would like to be in Maine baking muffins." Q: You stripped down to a bikini during the "American Idol" finale in 2009. What was that like? A: "It was scary, but it showed that I kind of don't take myself so seriously. And I got to build a recording studio from it, because I was given money to use toward my charity. So I'm glad I did it." – Reuters Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Oprah ends 25-year talk show reign with star-studded event Posted: 25 May 2011 06:39 AM PDT Oprah Winfrey becomes emotional as Kristian Chenoweth performs surrounded by graduates of Moorehouse College on stage during the taping of the third to last Oprah Winfrey Show at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, Tuesday, May 17, 2011. Winfrey is wrapping up production of her wildly popular daytime television programme after a 25-year run. – AFP pic LOS ANGELES, May 25 – As the queen of daytime talk shows, one of the most influential media personalities and wealthiest women in the US, Oprah Winfrey taped her final show, "Surprise Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular," after a week of star-studded guest appearances, to air May 25. The content of the finale has remained a secret, but the show's producers promised Winfrey's Hollywood 'friends' from film, television and music would pay tribute, such as John Travolta, who has frequently been a guest and experienced the "Oprah Effect." Oprah's endorsement has had a Midas Touch, helping to launch careers, beauty products and turning dozens of books from her Book Club into bestsellers, read by her 42 million fans. She has also not shied away from social issues from race to domestic violence. Some say she was instrumental in electing US President Obama. After 5,000 episodes, the taping of the last Oprah Winfrey Show was moved from her television studio into Chicago's United Center 20,000-seat sports arena. Tickets were free and distributed via a lottery after the show received 154,000 requests. The shows during the final week included a parade of performances and celebrities creating a television event. Tom Hanks hosted one show with Tom Cruise as the first guest. Madonna appeared to say that Oprah was her living role model: "She's a self-made woman who's been at the top of her game for over 25 years and she is still kicking ass!" Other guests and performers included Beyoncé, John Legend, Halle Berry, Katie Holmes and Queen Latifah who shared their admiration. Oprah's response, "I feel the love." Between each guest, video on big screens played Oprah's most memorable moments and footage of her philanthropic gestures, from giving away a free automobile to each member of the audience to the schools she's had built around the world. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith hosted another show with performers including Jamie Foxx joined by Stevie Wonder who wrote a song for Oprah, Usher, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, and poet Maya Angelou, accompanied by Alicia Keys on piano who also performed "Super Woman." Aretha Franklin also sang "Amazing Grace." "I always thought I would take my cues from the viewers. I took the cue from the landscape of television," Winfrey told The Hollywood Reporter. "It got harder and harder and harder to raise the bar every day. What we're doing is primetime television done in the daytime." Since The Oprah Winfrey Show began in 1986, her media empire also publishes O magazine and produces films, such as Precious and Beloved through Harpo Productions. She also acted in The Color Purple and launched a cable network. With the shuttering of the syndicated talk show after 25 years, she will turn her attention to OWN, the five-month-old cable/satellite network struggling with ratings. Despite speculation, she is not expected to move her daily show to the channel. Winfrey transformed daytime television by being a woman speaking to women viewers. Fans who miss her can watch her cable channel, but television stations that have enjoyed her highly-rated show may feel the impact more. – AFP Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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Holy men, holy women 11 Posted: 24 May 2011 04:27 PM PDT MAY 25 — Spot checks notwithstanding, I soon became less of a curiosity to the women; I was just one of the many relatives who came to visit the women at the pondok. My days and nights were a blur, as I joined the community in their prayers. There were activities which had almost everyone excited. There was a flower arrangement competition that took me back to my student days and Kelas Serirumahtangga. There were talks, and one day, there was a homeopathy fair. Because it was so hot where we were, very few came to the booths to be treated. The speakers blared out verses and prayers, and at one time, I thought they were recited by women. Tok M told me that it was the prepubescent orphans who read out the verses over the speakers. They were no different from other boys – when they were done with their classes and duties, they darted about the area, laughing and joking. In the evenings, the women gathered at their friends' little homes. They all seemed to agree on one thing: one died alone, one's husband didn't follow one to the grave and only God is with you. Living there was good practice for the afterlife. There was also a pecking order when it came to Jemaah prayers. Power and status came into play one day. I had decided to pray at the front of the ladies' section because it was cooler, when one of the women pulled me back. I couldn't pray there because the wife of a VIP who had come to visit the commune, was joining in the prayers. I protested. "I thought in Islam, there's no such thing…" She hushed me. "Even in Mecca they do the same!" Then she whispered, "You are right. If you really practise the real Islam, she'd be the same as us." That night, there was a concert organised by the people who lived there. There was a very off-key all-male choir and a poetry recital. A silat performance by a bunch of young girls had the men chuckling and clapping at their feistiness. However, it was a recital by a group of older men that broke my heart. The idea of these men, widowed, divorced and alone, living here, forgotten by their children, and seeing them cheering each other on as one fumbled through a song, hugging each other after their performance – it was a most uncomfortable experience. So this was old age. The women were right: you die alone. Only God's with you. *** My last day at the commune can only be described as a macabre comedy. It started with the usual dawn khutbah. We should emulate our Prophet's ways and the glorious days of Islam, once upon a time, the imam told us. I wondered why we Muslims always keep looking back to the past. Surely we have come far. Were the current crop of Muslims that bad? I went back to Tok M's house, tired. I was grumpy. I wanted to go home. And two things happened, which drove me to call my taxi driver, G, to come at 3 in the afternoon, instead of at 5. I had taken a nap. I dreamed that someone kept calling out, "Assalamualaikum! Dik! Dik! Open the door!" I woke up with a start, to find a group of men at my room window, staring at me and calling out to me, to open the door, an ustaz from Thailand wanted to see the house, he wanted to build something like it in his commune. I had mentioned earlier that it was hot over there. Sticky, muggy, smelly hot. Because of the humidity, I had taken a nap wearing only the top half of my baju kurung. The men had seen me with the top part of my kurung all rolled and creased up to my navel, leaving my legs and undergarment exposed to the whole world. Now I wonder whether I had either blinded them or made them flagellate themselves for seeing such sin. But at that time, all I could do was squeal. After the "architectural visit", and once I had calmed down, I decided to take another nap. It was not to be. Just as I had laid my head on the pillow, a banshee-like scream emanated from the house next to Tok M's. "It hurts! It hurts!" a woman cried out. I peeked through the window. The woman kept calling out for help. Another woman started screaming for the ustaz. Women from the nearby houses ran and tottered to the house, tying their scarfs over their heads hurriedly. The group of men who had given me a heart attack earlier, arrived too, shouting, "Allahuakhbar!" What on earth was going on? Tok M pushed me aside. One of the women had been possessed by a demon. Everyone shouted, "Allahuakhbar!" and immediately everyone had a story to tell. The area before it became the commune it was, was once the dumping site of bomohs. When a healing was done, they'd throw the spirits there. Oh this used to be a jungle, so this could be a jungle djinn. More men and women thronged the house. I heard a man yell at the djinn to leave the place, the woman's body was not its to possess. What a to do. I crept to the corner of the house and called G. If I wanted any sleep and sanity, I'd have to go home. At 1pm sharp, I was by the roadside. "G?" I called out. Glossy permed hair appeared from behind a lamp-post. "Hallo Missy, you okay ka? Aiyoyo, I already knew. When you sms me to pick you up at 4, and then 3, and then 2, I came here by 12!" The pondok I stayed at for about five days would be a considerable conversation topic at dinners, parties, forums. The people I had met would be thought of as freaks in rather sophisticated circles. But I remember them, until today, for their simplicity and sincerity. They only wanted one thing: to devote their lives to Allah. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Be a somebody here or a nobody overseas? Posted: 24 May 2011 04:26 PM PDT MAY 25 — I often get asked by fresh graduates whether they should stay in Malaysia or build their careers overseas. "It depends," I tell them. If you're seeking a career in journalism or public relations, you would be better off staying in Malaysia. Both these fields are very much saturated in developed countries with heavy competition even for non-paying internships. Why should they pick a Malaysian over hundreds of local aspiring journalists or public relations specialists? I've met Australian journalism grads pursuing graduate degrees and doctorates simply because they find it hard to get entry-level journalism jobs. Foreign newswires have presences here; you would have a better chance of working for Reuters in Malaysia than by applying in a foreign country. There are also plenty of international public relations firms here that will give you plenty of opportunities for advancement. Take my ex-colleague David Lian who is now the Asia Pacific social media lead for global PR firm Text 100. Besides Text 100, Hill & Knowlton, Burson-Marsteller, Weber Shandwick, Ogilvy and Edelman are among the reputable firms with strong presences in Malaysia. I find the notion that the government is duty-bound to provide all the top scorers with scholarships repugnant. In the UK and US, student loans are a part and parcel of life — even the current president of the United States admitted to only having recently paid off his college loan debts. Rather than expecting the government to foot the bill for all top scorers to study overseas, more institutions should provide grants, loans and partial scholarships for students wishing to further their education. The private sector needs to support local institutions and help better the quality of public education, making it accessible for all. Why can't insurance firms, for example, provide grants or partially sponsor actuarial departments in public universities? Have banks, law firms, MNCs work with public universities to create programmes or pump in much needed investment. Racism is a problem in our country and the polarisation between the races is something we need to address. Affirmative action in this country is a joke where instead of the poor benefitting, instead it is the rich elite of all races getting richer. It is time the citizens point out to politicians that while they are well-fed and live in palatial residences (I'm looking at you, Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo), there are plenty of Malaysians earning less than RM1,000 a month. If you want to fix things in this country, then stay. The reality is that the changes you want to see will likely not happen in this lifetime. Your children might not benefit from the education or institutional reforms you fight for, but their children might. Some people get frustrated that so few — the idealists, the visionaries, the crusaders — are fighting for so many. But hasn't that always been the case? It is possible to make small inroads, effect small changes but patience and willingness to commit for the long haul is needed. If you told me 10 years ago, we would have an alternative press and not just a media that basically functions as government propaganda, I would have laughed. If you told me Selangor would be an Opposition state, I would have laughed even harder. I wish PKR had a bigger vision than just to "topple Barisan Nasional." Let's face it, plenty in PKR's ranks are the same fat cat, greedy politicians we're used to. We have politicians but we do not have statesmen — people in it for the country and not for themselves. Change is hard work, without glory or guaranteed reward. Malaysians, however, have become a spoiled lot, too used to a caretaker government that tells them how to think, what to think and who to believe. We cannot wait on the government because it has become obvious that most of those in power do not have the nation's interests at heart but the monetary interests of a chosen few. I am tired of citizens expecting much but refusing to give much in return. You complain about racism, but send your children to vernacular schools. You call yourself Malaysian but refuse to even learn to speak Bahasa Malaysia. You complain about corruption and government inaction, but complain about traffic jams when your fellow citizens march to protest the very things you too abhor. Some of you might sneer at me, saying I say all these things because I have neither the money nor the talent to go overseas. That's right, I don't. I make no pretensions about that. So I play my role the best that I can — as someone whose vocation lies in writing about things that matter for the people who matter: you. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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